Searchlight cooling and ventilating means



- 1,641,301 p 6 a 1927- E. A. SPERRY SEARCHLIGHT COOLING AND VENTILATING MEANS Filed Aug. 50 1921 Mf M Patented Sept. 6, 1927.

UNITED STATES I 1,641,301 PATENT OFFICE.

ELMER A. SPERRY, OF BROOKLYN, NIlBW YORK.

SEARGHLIGHT COOLING AND VENTILATING MEANS.

Application filed August 30, 1921. Serial No. 496,808.

away, is likely to cause serious damage tov said reflector. Accordingly,-one of the obio jects of my invention is the provision of means for cooling the reflector or condenser. I accomplish this by causing air to: flow along the reflector, preferably over both the inner and outer surfaces. thereof. 2 Another object is to provide means for passing air along the glass front door of the Searchlight drum. Where searchlights are used for spotting aircraft,the drum is frequently turned so that the front door thereof is above the arc and is thus exposed to considerably moreheat than when the drum is turned to its horizontal position. Similarly, when flood lights are utilized to illuminate tall buildings, it is necessary to burn them in a more or less vertical position. Under these circumstances, it becomes especially desirable to cool said front door. By causing air currents to flow over the reflector and' the glass front door of the 3 Searchlight, said door and reflector are not only cooled, but are furthermore-washed clean of any smoky deposits and particles that may collect thereon.

Otherobjectsand advantages will become apparent as the description of the invention is hereinafter developed. P

Referring to the drawings wherein I have shown what I now consider to be the preferred form of my invention:

vliig. 1 is a view in elevation of a searchlight embodying my invention, the searchlight drum being-shown in vertical position. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view through the Searchlight drum of Fig. 1, certain parts. appearing in elevation.

' Fig. 3, isa detail sectional view, the motor and fan being shown in elevation.

The searchlight drum'is shown at 1 pivotally mounted between standards 2,3, for.

5 ,movement about a horizontal axis. The

standards 2, 3, are carried by a base 4 which is rotatable about a. vertical axis. The

drum can be turnedjabout said horizontal' which will not be described here. In Fig. 1 said drum is shown turned to point vertically upward. I

Within the drum 1 arethe positive and negative electrodes 5 and 6. The positiveelectrode 5 is shown extending through the glass front door 7 of the Searchlight drum and adjacent its arcing end is supported in a holder 8 carried by a standard 9. An electrode holder 10carried by a standard 11 serves to support the negative electrode 6. The standards 9 andll are supported by a control box 12, which is carried by the searchlight drum and contains mechanism for feeding the electrodes, as is known in the art. V As shown, said standards may behollow and air may be forced therethrough to cool thev electrode holders and to remove fumes from the are. This may be accomplished by a blower within the control box, as shown in my prior patent No. 1,282,133,

October 22, 1918.

Mounted in the rear of the drum 1 is a reflector or condenser 13, which ma be supported by an. annular frame or castlng 14 secured to the drum by suitable clamps 15. A dish shaped shield 16 is attached to frame "14 behind reflector 13 and serves to protect the latter. In order to prevent the intense heat of the are from damaging the reflector, I have provided means for passing air in con tact therewith. For this purpose I have shown a motor 17 mounted within a housing 18 mounted on the Searchlight drum, said motor driving an exhaust fan 19. The lat- 9o ter may be mounted within a suitable chamber 20 which is shownv open, at its ends 21, said chamber communicating through an opening 22 with another chamber 23. The latter chamber is shown communicating directly with the interior of the drum 1 1 through openings 24;. and 25.

As fan 19 is rotated, air is drawn through' suitable openings Knotshown) in control box -J;;1 2, thence through opening 26 in the drum, 160 -whereupon the air is directed by. a. baflle plate 27 against the inner surface of the reflector 13, thence along said reflector through opening 24, chamber 23, opening 22, cham ber 20 and out through openings ,21.

To aid in the cooling of the reflector, air may also be caused'to flow over the rear or outer surface thereof. For this purpose, apertures 28, 28, may be provided in frame 14 and shield 16, respectively, and a curved to frame 14, said hood extending over a portion of the shield 16. With this construction it will readily be seen that air will be drawn by fan 19 through hood 29, aperture 28, alon the rear of the reflector and thence throng aperture 28, whereupon said air joins the air that issues through aperture 26 and is drawn along the inner surface of the reflector and thence out through chamher-20. The air that is drawn through hood 29 thus serves to aid in cooling the inner surface of the reflector as well as the outside thereof.

I may employ fan 19 for the further purpose of drawing air along the front door 7. An aperture 30-is shown in the drum 1 ad- 'acent the door 7 and a baflle plate 31 may e provided for directing the air that issues from said aperture into contact with said door. Hence, as fan 19 rotates, air is drawn along door 7 through aperture 25, aperture 22, and thence out throu h chamber 20.

The provision of the c amber 23 between the interior of the drum and the exhaust o ning 25 renders more eflicient the cooling 0 the reflector and front door. If the exhaust opening aforesaid communicated directly with the interior ofthe drum, it will be seen that while,by placing said opening adjacent-the front door, a suflicient current j of air could be maintained along said door,

insufiicient air might be drawn along the reflector. Howeveigby means of chamber 23, a powerful suction may be maintained over both apertures 24 and 25, so that strong drafts: of air over both the front door and the reflector result. Preferably, the opening 22 should be at least equal in size1to openin s 24 and 25 combined.

It w1ll thus be seen that I have provided means for maintaining a flow of air simul-' taneously over both the reflector and the glass front door of the searchlight drum. This flow of air not only serves to cool said door and drum, but further washes away any smoky deposits that may collect there.

The cooling of the front door becomes especially desirable when the searchlight is tilted to bring said door above the arc, since the door is then exposed to more of the heat of the arc, than when the searchlight: isin horizontal position. It will be further apparent that the suction created by fan 19 aids in withdrawin from the drum, the air which is forc through standards 9 and 11.

- stead of being exteri This application is' a continuation in part of my copending application which matured into Patent No. 1,412,757 on the 11th. da

of April, 1922, for military searchlights As an example of the numerous modifica tions which may be made {in my invention,

it may be pointed ou ty'chambe'r 23, in-

' he drum, might hood 29, open at one end, ma besecuredbe inside the latter, and that the number other means. Also, while it is designed to use the various features and elements in the combination and relations described, some of these may be altered and others omitted without interfering with the more general results outlined, and the, invention It should be under extends to such use. stood that by the term searchlight in the appended claims I do not limit myself to a lamp which projects parallel rays, but use the term to include flood lights which project diverging rays.

Having described my invention what I claim and desire to secure by Letters'Pat- 1. In a searchlight having a drum, a reflector and a front door havmg a surface inv direct contact with the heat of ,thelight,

means for ventilating and cooling said Surf face, comprising an air inlet adjacent-said surface, and an air outlet adjacent said surface and positioned substantially diametrically opposite said inlet and power means for causing a flow of air between said inlet and outlet so that a stream of air is directed parallel to and in contact with said surface.

2. In a searchlight having a drum, 'a reflector and a front door havmg a surface in direct contact with the heat of the light,

means for ventilating and'cooling said surface, comprising means for directing a stream of air parallel to and in contact with said surface, and means positioned closely ad acent said surface substantially diametri- .cally. opposite said first means for withdrawing said air.

3. In a searchlight having a drum a reflectorand a front door having a sur ace in direct contact with the heat of the light, means for ventilating and cooling said sur face, comprising an air inlet adjacent said surface, and an air outlet adjacent said surface and positioned substantially diametrically opposite said inlet so that a stream of air is directed parallel to and in contact with said surface, and a'blower positioned adjacent one of said air passages. E 2

4. In a. searchlight having a drum a reflector and a front door havmg a surface in,

direct contact-with the heat of the light, means for ventilating and cooling said surface, comprising an air inlet adjacent said surface, 'means for directing the air from said inlet along said surface and for preventing passage of the air toward-said light, 1

- an air outlet adjacent said surface and posioutlets andinlets adjacent the inner surface tioned substantially diametrically opposite of said door located on a line parallelto sa1d 1nlet and power means-for causing va said surface, andimeans for causing'a curcontmuous flow of air; regardless of the poslrent to flow from said inlets to said outlets.

tion of the drum so that a stream of air is. a

directed surface.

5. In a Searchlight, a drum, a condenser at parallel to and in contact with said 8. A :searchlight, comprisingin combination a drum, a reflector, afront door, an arc lamp within said drum, a chamber on'said' drum located above said lamp, a second the rear of'said drum, adoor at the front? cl1amber above said first chamber in. comthereof, an exhaust blower carried by said munication therewith, a blower in thelatter drum, and a chamber having an opening chamber for drawing air from said first adjacent said blower and other openings chamber, said drum having inlets on the I adjacent the inner surface of said door and side supporting the lamp and. outlets com said condenser for municating with said first chamber,'-said inover' the same. I lets and outlets being adjacent to the re- 6. In a. searchlight having a front door flector and located on a line parallel to .the" the inner surface of which is in direct'conedge thereof, said drum also having inlets causing currents to flow tact with [the heat of said light, .a drum on the side supporting the lam and outlets having outlets and inlets adjacent the inner communicating wlth said first c amber, said surface of said door and a blower for causing latter inlets and outlets being adjacent to a current to fiowlfrom said inlets to said "the front door and located on a line parallel outlets over said door. .to thesame. I j 7. In asearchlight having a front door the In testimony whereof I have aflixed' my inner surface of whichis in direct contact signature. j

with the heat of said light, a drum having E LMER AQSPERRY'. 

